


Of phoenixes and sirens

by nio9302



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Kinda, M/M, Oblivious Keith (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-06-13 00:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15351702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nio9302/pseuds/nio9302
Summary: >>“Keith what are you doing on your phone? You look like you're about to throw it out of the window.”He rolled his eyes grumbling at the concern in Shiros voice.“Nothing, I'm just texting some guys I met today!”“YOUR DOING WHAT?!? OH MY GOD MATT!!!! KEITH HAS FOUND FRIENDS OTHER THAN US!!!”“HE HAS WHAT?????”“CONGRATULATIONS!!”“THEY GROW UP SO FAST!!”“Holy fuck why is everyone I know crazy...”>>Hail to the almighty pidgeon:Knifeyboi: nice now my brother is cryingCinnamonangel: what why???Lanceylanceonstandbi: u have a brother?Pidgeblacksoul: …Knifeyboi: sorry need to go i think they're about to burn the kitchen downLanceylanceonstandbi: k see u tmrwLanceylanceonstandbi: ...Lanceylanceonstandbi: WAIT WHAT????>>





	1. Snow in summer

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> This is my first fanfiction I'm writing! I'm sorry if it sucks!  
> Thanks to kawaii._.whale._ on instagram for beta reading this, putting up with my antisocial shit and convincing me that this is actually good and worth being posted somewhere!
> 
> Some things importent for the story:
> 
> -50% of the population are born with special powers though no one knows why  
> -the people with powers are devided in sections:  
> -Elementa: the elements: fire, water, earth, air (yeah I'm rlly creative)  
> -Fabula: ppl who can either partly or completely turn into animals or mythological creatures  
> -Naturae: powers that have smth to with nature or animals  
> -Consilio: most common power section nowadays with powers ranging from creating stuff from nothing to talking with  
> electrics  
> -Spiritus: powers like telepathy, teleportation, levitation, bending spoons and stuff
> 
> Pidgeblacksoul: Pidge  
> Lanceylanceonstandbi: Lance  
> Cinnamonangel: Hunk

„ _Under the classification 'Elementa' those are known whose powers are in the elements fire, water, earth or air_ … yeah it's not like we haven't already learned that... _(see: chapter 1, page 68-201; chapter 2, page 298-413). In this section however their subordinate power/s (if existing)_... aha, mhm sure, weaker, something about exceptions, rainbows, glitter and unicorns... _spiritual rendering of a mythical creature (see: chapter 4, page 605-847; chapter 26, page 7783-7916, chapter 32..._ bla bla bla... seriously? Why are having this again? It's like the thousandth time were doing this and it hasn't been getting any less boring!”

Lance had draped himself dramatically over the table with his exclamation while one cheek was uncomfortably squished on the papers and pencils which were scattered on it, but didn't get any reaction from his friends.

After waiting a few more seconds and still getting nothing from them, he turned his head disappointed up and looked directly at the fan on their table which was making an annoying buzzing sound while not helping much with the dry heat lingering in the library, for that alone he gave it a sour scowl like it was causing all of his current problems in life.

“Whyyyyyyy...” Sorrowful sighing, he flicked the switch a few times and pressed his forehead against the relatively cool surface of the table.

He really didn't want to read anymore which actually didn't pretty much matter right now because even if he would want to, his brain wouldn't let him. Why? Because it was currently far more occupied with thinking about why 24/7 shops had locks on their doors and why glue didn't stick to the inside of the bottle they were in.

Huffing, he sat back up, straightening his back and let out satisfied hum when he heard some of the joints in his body pop. He frowned... what would you pack Styrofoam in if you'd send it to someone?

It didn't seem like he would be able to concentrate on studying in the near future so after bouncing up and down on the chair a few times he rocked it back balancing it for a few seconds on the back two legs until it fell back forward and slammed his hands on the table. He clicked his tongue annoyed when neither Pidge nor Hunk moved a muscle.

With a mournful pout on his face he let his head fall back on the back of his chair and stared at the few unoccupied other tables nearby and the wooden bookshelves which could turn into a maze for the few unfortunate students who didn't get the system which they were arranged by.

He threw a glance at the table in front of him and frowned annoyed at the blue glowing screen which was still lying there in an almost mocking manner.

Don't get him wrong, it wasn't like he hated learning or reading about that stuff in particular, no it had even been very interesting at some point in the past, but now it was just such a chewed out topic! They had it again and again and again over the course of primary-, middle-, and high school and yeah he could admit that knowing about the different kinds of powers out there is something very important, so it wasn't like they did this for no reason, but after the seventh time it came up it just lost its appeal and was downright boring.

If you would tie a buttered toast to the back of a cat and would then drop the cat from a building, how would the buttered toast cat land... he really needed to find a distraction this was getting ridiculous.

He looked over to Pidge who seemingly was either ignoring him or was just to caught up in their own studies to have noticed his short rant. Typical. It had been that way ever since the day they stormed into his and Hunks dorm room in the middle of the night, covered in mud with a black mask on which completely hid their face and simply jumped under his bed with the rushed explanation: “I'm not a bad person but if Iverson or a crew of security asks for me I'm not here!”

He and Hunk were both so stunned by the sudden appearance of them, that, when Iverson came to their room with a red angry face (it almost looked like steam was coming out of his ears) and snapped at them if they had seen someone suspicious, they just automatically shook their head.

Another reason why they didn't tell the truth that night may have been that Lance and Hunk both despised him and because the saying 'Your enemy's enemy is your friend!' had a certain truth behind it.

Then, after Iverson had took of again not without cursing about the uselessness of both of them and slamming the door shut with full force, Pidge had crawled out from under Lances bed and finally told them who they were, why they were fleeing from Iverson, and why he was so furious.

Long story short: Their brother and dad were part of the 'Kerberos-Mission' and they and Takashi Shirogane (who was Lances biggest idol and smokin' hot btw.) were all declared dead after they went missing without leaving a trace. But Pidge had found proof in form of encoded messages from their brother that they were against all belief still very much alive and had then, determined to find out more, tried to hack into the Garrison computer system only to get caught in the middle of the act and to then get chased almost over the whole school campus until they hid in Lances and Hunks room.

That night they all agreed that Iverson was an asshole and that they wouldn't give away Pidges identity to him or what they did. Since then Pidge started to hang out with them regularly and the young prodigy with the messy orange-blond hair, fake glasses and freckles all over their face was soon wrapped up in a more or less (definitely more) voluntary friendship with those two.

“Hey Pidge?”

They grunted distracted.

“You've got any spare clothes with you?”

That seemed to get their attention and they looked up with narrowed eyes.

“No... why?”

Lance could see how their body was tensing up in anticipation of whatever he had planned as he reached out sensing how far away the next water source was that he could use without anyone noticing.

“Oh, no reason just wanted to make sure, cuz you know if it starts raining or something.”

Jackpot! Only a few meters away, but out of sight was a glass of water. He tried to suppress a smile while he guided the water until it floated above Pidge.

They sneered “Yeah right, since when would you be concerned if I get wet by rain?”

Lance gasped and looked hurt while grabbing the front of his shirt theatrically.

“You wound me Pidgeon! My worry for your health runs deeper than the roots of a tree!”

He fluttered his eyelashes and wiped away a fake tear. The water above Pidges head was by now turned into snow, because after all they didn't have any other clothes with them and Lance wasn't cruel!

Pidge paled and stood suddenly up, pushing their electronic devices as far away from them as possible. “Lance if you dare to do what I think you're planning, then god have mercy!”

They turned and looked behind them but frowned when they didn't see anything.

“What-”

Lance pointed up and Pidges eyes became big as they wiped their head up only to get a face full of snow.

“MOTHERFUCKER!!!”

They shook their head violently, trying to get the snow out of their hair before it would start to melt and threw a murderous look at Lance who was currently wheezing and trying not to fall out of his chair.

“OH YOU ARE SO DEAD!!!”

Lance scrambled up from his seat and tried to escape Pidge as they lunched their small body over the whole table throwing him backwards on the ground. The floor was pretty hard because there were no carpets whatsoever so he kind of had luck that he didn't hit it headfirst, but managed to awkwardly do a back roll and trow Pidge off so he was able to stand up again. Before they could attack again, he took the already molten water and tied it around their wrists which he then attached to one of the legs of the table.

“HA!! I WON!!!”

He pumped his fist in the air and did a little victory dance when suddenly someone tapped him on his shoulder: “Um hi-”

Lance turned around quickly and abruptly stood face to face with some guy who looked at him with frowning fucking.. violet... eyes..... with darker and brighter sparks in them which seemed to move with every new ray of sunlight they were touched by. He wasn't able to look away from those mesmerizing eyes which looked like there were little universes put in them... aaand he was getting poetic and he had been staring to long and it was getting awkward and his face was starting to heat up and shit!

”I... uhh..-!”

Suddenly someone rammed their whole body weight in his back which caused him to accidentally fall into violet eyes who wasn't prepared for the two body's which threw him roughly down on the floor. He hadn't had as much luck as Lance had earlier and hit his head hard on the wood which made an ugly sounding noise. Lance didn't know if his face could possibly turn in any darker shade of red because right now he just wanted to dig himself a hole and slowly die in it from embarrassment.

“YOU WILL PAY MCCLAIN!!!!!”

In the same second he heard the furious scream, his head was already being painfully snatched backwards on his hair until he looked at an upside down Pidge who was looking like they were ready to murder him right on the spot, which he when he thought about it was still way too young for!! But then suddenly their expression changed from rage to confusion until it settled in an evil smiling grimace that send shivers down his spine.

“Why Lance since when are you so straight forward with someone you just met?”

His face was frozen in puzzled shock as Pidge released his hair and his head automatically fell forward until he was looking at violet eyes again.

His face was scrunched up in pain and his ebony colored hair, which had some resemblance with a mullet although his fringe was a bit too long for that, was framing his head like a halo and was making Lances stomach feel funny. Why did that guy need to look like an angel?

“Do I have something on my face?”

Lance hadn't even noticed that violet eyes had opened his eyes again and was now looking at him with narrowed eyes, but was starting to panic at that because he had been caught staring for the second time in the last ten minutes and was totally looking like a creep right now to the guy WHO HE WAS CURRENTLY STILL SITTING ON!!!

He tried frantically to stand up but his legs seemed to have other plans in mind as he fell back directly onto violet eyes stomach, who let out a wheezing sound at the again suddenly dropped weight.

This was it, now he was really ready to die. Forget what he said before about being to young, it was over!

“Could you please just stand up and stop staring at me?!”

He wasn't even intentionally staring this time!

“Well your hair is so stupid I couldn't help myself!”

What was he saying?! He could practically see how the irritation on violet eyes face turned into annoyance.

“Well at least I'm not using other people as a pillow and refuse to get up when they come to the conclusion that it isn't the best occupation for a human!”

Lance heard Pidge snickering behind him and felt himself getting angry too. He didn't know how he could have thought this guy was even a tiny little bit attractive with how he just looked angry the whole time.

“Yeah?! Well at least... at least I don't have stupid hair!!”

That was a pathetic comeback and he knew that causing him to just get even more riled up.

“Wow I'm hurt. Using the same 'insult' two times in a row? That got to me.”

It currently sounded like Pidge was dying behind him from laughter when he angry jumped up and turned around poking them in the chest with a finger.

“Shut your mouth when grown ups are talking gremlin!”

He had enough, before Pidge had even time to react, he had tied them already to the chair from where they had amused themself with watching his and assholes argument.

Lance turned back to asshole ready to defend himself but paused when he saw that he wasn't lying on the floor anymore but had taken an example in Lance standing up with doing the same thing.

So right now he was standing in front of Lance with a cooked head and a curious look on his face, which didn't look cute at all, especially because he noticed in that moment that the guy was wearing almost completely black and on top of that finger less gloves!

It was over 30 °C outside for Christs sake, how wasn't he literally melting? But somehow, and that was the part that ticked him of the most, that guy was having such a shitty attitude and such a horrendous taste in clothing and was still able to pull it off.

“So your a Water-Elementa then I guess?”

Lance didn't know why but this question pushed him over the edge and he snapped.

“Why should I tell you? Why do you care?! I don't even know you and you were nothing but being an ass!! Oh and also: IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUISSNESS!!!

Panting heavily Lance clenched his fists trying to calm down. He didn't know what just had happened but glancing at asshole he could see shock, anger and even a bit hurt in his eyes.

“Well ok... I actually just wanted to know where my water had flown off to but I don't have time for you bitching me around for something that wasn't even my fault! Next time don't just take stuff that isn't yours without even asking!!”

He turned around and stomped away, not even wasting a single second with looking back at Lance.

Lance couldn't tell if he was angry, irritated or actually felt bad for what happened but he did know that there wasn't much he could do now and there was no way he would give in and say it was his fault things escalated. That guy was an asshole and if he hadn't provoked him he wouldn't have freaked out like that.

“Are you guys done?”

He heard a ruffling sound and suddenly Hunk stood beside him scratching his head.

“I was under the table. Sorry for not going between you, Pidge and that guy, but you all were kinda going crazy there for a few minutes!”

Lance patted Hunks back: “Don't worry about it, I most likely will never have to see that asshole again!”

He turned back to the table and paused for a moment, Pidge had somehow been able to get rid of his waterchains again and must have taken off to somewhere, because all of their stuff was gone and they usually watched it like a hawk.

“Hey you know where Pidge went?”

He turned back to Hunk when his pocket suddenly vibrated.

 

>>

 

**Hail to the almighty pidgeon:**

 

**Pidgeblacksoul: hey suckers!! might take a look at the time when Lance's done flirting!**

 

**> >**

 

Lance frowned confused, what did they mean with that...

“FUCK!!! Hunk sorry I need to run, meet me at lunch!!”

He frantically swiped his arm over the table and threw his stuff in his backpack while trying to turn off his reading pad at the same time.

“BYE!!!”

Taking off, Lance half tripped through the door when he almost missed the two steps leading outside. He cursed under his breath, if he didn't run at full speed now he wouldn't make in time for class and he had already been late far to often for it to go by unnoticed.

 

>>

 

**Hail to the almighty pidgeon:**

 

Lanceylanceonstandbi: fugk pidg u know I cand be lat agin!!!!

Lanceylanceonstandbi: and who was I fliritin with?!?!

**Pidgeblacksoul: with mr. grumpypants keith**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: who tf s tat???

**Pidgeblacksoul: black hair, always either resting bitch face or frowning, somehow fucking purple eyes? ringing a bell somewhere?**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: tht ashol?!?! u know im????

**Pidgeblacksoul: your spelling hurts my eyes! but yes that 'ashol'**

_Cinnamonangel: you know him pidge?_

**Pidgeblacksoul: yup i've got my connections :) though he seems to be as oblivious as ever**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: urgg put at smil thing out fmx fac!!! nd for hw fcckn long havn u knw him??!!

**Pidgeblacksoul: i'll just assume you just asked: dearest pidge may I be bestowed with the knowledge of how long you have known that clueless hothead?**

**Pidgeblacksoul: and yes! i will answer your question young one**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: ur like 6 r smth im oldr dan u!

**Pidgeblacksoul: i'm fucking 16 and you know it!**

**Pidgeblacksoul: and i was talking about mental age not physical! to answer your question: since i was around 8**

_Cinnamonangel: wow how come you've known him that long?_

Lanceylanceonstandbi: yeh and nod hav died off nggtivity??

**Pidgeblacksoul: i'd love to tell hunk about it but because a certain SOMEONE went nuts like 5 min ago i definitely won't write it in this group chat!**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: waddo u meen pitge??? u cand just leaf me ut!!!??

_Cinnamonangel: sorry lance but i really want to know :'(_

Lanceylanceonstandbi: hunk????

Lanceylanceonstandbi: ar u srius righ now!??!?!?!?!

**Pidgeblacksoul: my intuition tells me you'll find out soon enough so stop whining and concentrate on getting to your class in time!!!**

 

**> >**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :D  
> Pls leave a comment and kudos (if you liked it) ^^


	2. Firebird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pidgeblacksoul: Pidge  
> Cinnamonangel: Hunk  
> Lanceylanceonstandbi: Lance  
> Red / Knifeyboi: Keith

 

Keith felt his eye twitch. He was clutching a red ballpoint pen in his hand which had yet to touch the paper lying in front of him on the table.

The paper wasn't blank though, there were questions written on it. Questions, to which he unfortunately didn't know any of the answers!

Annoyed exhaling he massaged his temples, until now this morning had been fucking nightmare.

It wasn't enough that he overslept, although that was why he neither had breakfast nor was on time for his first class, no, he somehow had forgotten that they were writing a fucking test that day and then also failed to study for it last minute in the library.

That did sound pretty bad, but not like it could be described as a nightmare right?

Well that wasn't the whole story, there was more!

So he was trying to study in the library, when he suddenly noticed that his water was starting to float away. Being curious about why it was showing this abnormal behavior, he got up and followed it.

Big mistake!

He ended up at a table where one person, he couldn't determine if they were a girl or a boy but they looked oddly familiar, was chained with water to one leg of the table and a guy was doing some kind of weird ritual dance or something and had his back turned to him. When Keith approached the guy and wanted to ask if one of them had taken his water, he turned suddenly around and somehow caused Keith to freeze and not to be able to form sentences anymore.

It was like someone had taken control over his body! He just stared at the guys face and took in how his almost caramel colored skin looked so smooth with freckles dusted all over it. And how his expressive eyes looked like two blue oceans and his chocolate brown hair curled at the ends framing his face in a hypnotic manner.

It made his skin tingle and heat rise up to his cheeks... he must be getting sick or something.

But it definitely wasn't normal that he couldn't move, he suspected that either there was a Spiritus who was experimenting with their powers near by or that Matt had mixed something in yesterdays food again or injected him with one of his new experiment while he was sleeping... again!

That wasn't what he was getting at though. After not being able to move he was knocked on the floor and when the room stopped spinning he saw the blue eyed guy staring at him almost like he was scared or something.

Keith tried to ask him about it and didn't know what the blue eyed guy was trying to do after that but he failed at that and fell directly on Keiths stomach and after that started to insult his hair!

So then they got into an argument and then Keith saw how the guy manipulated water to tie his friend? to a chair. He also spotted another guy with an orange bandanna tied around his head sitting under the table, probably trying not to get involved.

Smart guy.

And well, when Keith asked the most likely Water-Elementa if he was a Water-Elementa, that guy simply snapped and started yelling about how it wasn't any of Keiths business.

Please remember that Keith had had a really bad morning already so it was no wonder that he also got mad but gladly was able not to set anything accidentally on fire but simply turned around and walk away, keeping his cool and not showing that he was angry at all.

That's how he ended up here... sitting at the table... trying to stare holes in his test... which was still blank... because the universe seemed to hate him.

“You have five minutes left!”

Keith tore his head up and stared disbelieving with an open mouth at the professor.

Shocked he noticed that the clock above the blackboard confirmed what he just said and that might, most likely, become a very big problem for Keith.

Slowly his focus fell back on the paper lying in front of him and he felt sweat form at his forehead and his fingertips starting to tingle. If he failed this test he might as well just start writing his last will.

Keith chewed nervously his bottom lip, he could swear the professor made up most of the words in the questions just to get him to fail.

Which was utter bullshit and he technically knew that, but the stress was slowly starting to get to him as his eyes roamed over the test trying to find something, anything he at least somehow understood.

“Please finish your last sentence and bring your paper up to my table!”

Keith was very, very close to just stand up and punch the damned paper in his professors face right now, because, well, he hadn't even written his name on it!

Breathing deeply in and out he tried not to let his panic and anger get the better of him, when he suddenly smelled something smokey, like something was burning or...

“FUCK!!!!”

He jumped startled up trowing the now completely burning paper of his table and stared with wide eyes at it as it slowly turned into a black pile of ash. Now he was certain that Shiro was going to kill him...

Someone clearing their throat had Keith lifting his head again and looking at the person in front of him, who was no one else than his professor, looking at him warily as if he was trying to estimate if he would be the next one to catch fire.

“So, Mr. Kogane... care to explain why your test just went up into flames and transformed into that?”

He cautiously gesticulated at the pile of ash lying on the floor in front of his feet.

That was indeed a good question. Why? Well because usually, in the theoretical classes they were required to wear some kind of bracelets which prevented them from using their abilities and if they refused wear them and if someone wasn't wearing it and the professors found out about it, they would be happy to only get suspended from the Garrison for a week, especially if they damaged garrison property which had on some occasions already lead to someone being expelled. Now Keith could just hope that they didn't see a test as school property. And to be fair, he hadn't actually done anything wrong! He had worn the bracelet and for everything he knew it also wasn't damaged in any way so it had functioned properly. It was just that it was to weak!

“Well... um, it's... it's very hot today... so, maybe...” Keith hated to be the center of attention, especially negative, it stressed him and he couldn't grasp any clear thoughts. Quickly he mumbled: “And, well maybe it caught fire because of that...”

He knew that that was an even worse excuse than 'my dog eat my homework' not to say almost like a thousand times worse.

The Professor sighed: “Show me your arms Keith!”

Keith groaned, he rolled up both of the sleeves of his black hoody and shoved his forearms in front of him for his Professor to see. To see that he indeed was wearing his ugly 'safety' bracelet and was not violating any of the rules.

He saw a puzzled frown forming on his professors face. “What the...”

Just wanting to get out of there, Keith forced something that hopefully looked like a smile on his face. “I'm sorry, maybe there is something wrong with it and I just didn't realize it? I'll go to the mechanic department right a way to have them take a look at it, ok?”

Keith didn't wait for an answer and just put his pen in the pocket of his hoody, grabbed his backpack trowing it over his shoulder with his other hand and exited the room at a fast pace. Not looking back he didn't stop until he was in front of the 'gym'.

Well the students called it gym at least, it was actually one big and multiple smaller training rooms with the 'newest' (yeah right) technological advances in training students to be able to fight in groups or alone against one or multiple weak or strong opponents which were represented by robots programmed on fighting.

He stepped trough a door into the hallway in which the changing rooms and behind them the training rooms were and walked into the guys changing room.

Because it was actually now lunch break, there was no one else in the room and he just pulled of his hoody and pants and threw them into one of the lockers together with his backpack and the useless bracelet. Conveniently he always wore some special made clothes which were undestructable by fire no matter ho hot it was underneath his normal clothes. The reason for this was, that Keith had one to many times set something or himself accidentally on fire in the past, not that he could get hurt by it or anything, but his clothes had on one occasion burnt down until he stood, only in his underpants, which miraculously survived, in the middle of the road in the broad daylight and some might get that he didn't want to repeat that accident.

Keith shuddering shook his head at the unpleasant memory and exited the room. He went straight to one of the training rooms of which he saw that it was empty, went inside and closed the door behind him.

A small smile formed on his face. “Start training level 2!”

Instantly, a human sized robot dropped from the ceiling mimicking the fighting stance Keith had already taken and they slowly started circling each other.

Keith knew the best way to win against someone was first of all to wait until the other made the first move but because this was a robot he was fighting against the chances of him getting impatient first were around 200%.

That kinda annoyed him, he liked it when he could estimate when his opponent would loose his patience and just attack, but well a robot neither had a clear body language nor a free will to do what he wants or to feel emotions. So in the end it always resulted in him trowing the first punch, and because he didn't want to wait an hour or two he just lunged at the robot trying to tackle him down.

Which went as well as anyone would have expected.

The robot sidestepped and Keith nearly lost his balance when he was met with air instead of a solid metal body but he could regain it and whirl around only to barely dodge a metal fist which came flying to his nose.

He jumped back and aimed a high kick at the robots face who at that simply grabbed Keiths ankle and twisted it so he would lose his footing.

Keith smirked, that was a mistake.

Using the momentum of the twisting he jumped up while spinning his whole body and landing a hard kick to the side of the robots head which caused him to tumble back a few steps but not to deactivate yet.

Which was justified because if that one hit would have beaten the Lv. 2 robot it would have been way to easy.

Keith continued to trow punches and kicks at the robot successfully dodging most of the ones aimed at him until he noticed satisfied that the robots movements started to become slow and stiff which indicated that he had almost defeated him.

It was only a matter of 3-5 more hits until he would-

“End training sequence!”

Keith flinched at the familiar voice. With his lips pressed tight together in anger he turned slowly around with tense shoulders until he was facing the professor to which the voice belonged.

“Professor Iverson.”

The statement came out slightly sour but Iverson seemed to ignore it knowingly and narrowed his eyes at Keith who was trying very hard to stay calm and to not start a fire again.

“Although it's admirable that you're training additionally to the required hours you should still watch your time Kogane!” He hissed the words out while pointing at the clock which hung behind him on the wall and which stated that Keiths next class had already started 10 minutes ago and Iverson would definitely make the whole class stay longer for the missed time.

Keith cursed under his breath and he could feel a few sparks falling from his fingers to the floor going unnoticed by Iverson.

“Now if you'd kindly do me the favor and follow me so that we might be able to accomplish at least something today?”

“Yes sir.” With a jerked nod he followed Iverson into the big training hall in which already around twenty other students were assembled standing in a half circle. They threw a mixture of annoyed, angry and confused looks at him as he squeezed in between two guy muttering a halfhearted apology without even looking at them once when he suddenly heard a loud outraged gasp coming from his left side.

“YOU!!”

“What?” Keith turned his head slightly irritated and regretted it in the same moment. Next to him was the most likely Water-Elementa from this morning with an open hanging mouth while pointing accusingly a finger at him.

“You....”

He just wanted to bang his head against the nearest wall until he passed out at this point. What the hell did he do wrong to deserve this?

“SINCE WHE-” Keith quickly clasped his hand over the screaming guys mouth and shot a weary glance at Iverson who either through some miracle didn't notice the ruckus or was just ignoring them.

“Be quie-AH!”

With a shout (not a squeal no matter what anyone else said) he ripped his hand back staring disbelieving at the guy standing in front of him who had just licked his hand like a fucking three year old and was now smugly grinning at him.

“You have something to say Kogane?”

Keith threw a murderous look at the blue eyed guy and turned to Iverson with a forced smile on his face.

“No sir, my _friend_ here just told me something really funny that happened to him today and I couldn't hold my laughter back. I'm sorry it won't happen again sir!”

With a look that almost screamed that Iverson wasn't believing a single word he just said his face suddenly turned into a grimace that might have been a smile on anyone else, but on Iverson it just looked wrong and he nodded which sent unpleasant shivers down Keiths spine.

“I sure hope so Kogane, one more slip and you and your... _friend_ will spent all of your free time the next few days on writing an essay for me about why you should listen to your professors and respect them and follow the rules in here in the garrison in general with a minimum of 10.000 words!”

“WHAT?!?” Keith winced at the loud shocked sounding shout coming from his left.

“Yes McClain I've also had enough of your attitude and loud mouth which disturbs my class every single time and you aren't even able to bring me results afterwards that aren't totally disappointing like that discipline problem standing next to you! It may be a mystery to me how he gets through with everything he does even after professor Shirogane, who somehow found a liking in him and always stuck up for him, failed miserably on his mission and died pathetically together with professor Holt and his son who were in my opinion both nowhere near being ready to be sent on this mission which was clearly to big for them, and well we all know how it ended! Lost three men and gained nothing out of it, so their death was completely meaningless and for the record-”

“Stop.”

No one had dared to interrupt Iverson on his rant, everyone just stood there deadly quiet, shocked that he would talk so degrading about his fellow colleagues who went missing more than a year ago. Even Keith had just pressed his nails harshly into his palms and bit his lip until he tasted the metallic taste of blood trying frantically not to start screaming or to lunge at Iverson and just beat him until he couldn't talk such trash anymore because he knew that would definitely end with him being expelled. But that single word seemed to stop Iverson and rip Keith out of his paralysis as he snapped his head looking at McClain? who was standing next to him and was staring at Iverson with a deadly look in his eyes.

“Don't speak about them that way. They are the bravest people I've ever heard of and only because we don't know what happened to them doesn't mean that you should just assume they're dead and talk about them that way,.. _sir_!”

His stare never wavered until the end and when he finally spat out the last word sarcastically he crossed his arms and straightened his back anticipating the storm that was about to come to him.

Keith felt that his mouth was hanging open and closed it quickly, but he still stared with amazement at the guy who had the courage to speak his mind to Iverson and who was most likely one of the last few people who still believed that Shiro, Sam and Matt weren't dead and also wasn't afraid to voice his opinion.

“That's it!!” It almost looked like steam was coming out of Iversons ears as he began to stomp to McClain until he stood directly in front of him.

“Lance Charles Serrano McClain I guess you really want to do that extra work, huh? Well here you go: a 20.000 words essay until next week without any writing errors and written by hand!”

Keith was shocked, he knew Iverson gave harsh punishments and wasn't spare with them, but 20.000 words in one week written by hand?

“That's not fair sir!” He hadn't even realized that it was him who had said that but it was already to late.

“Oh, is that so?! Well I guess you're right!” The look Iverson gave Keith and Lance? was ice cold. “Count yourself lucky McClain, your _friend_ here just lessened your punishment! 15.000 words until next week from both of you!!”

Turning around not without sending one last treacherous glare to them, Iverson continued where he left with explaining the exercise while Keith stood there completely rigged not believing what just had happened.

 

**

 

Keith forcefully slammed the door of his locker shut, how in the world would he be able to explain to Shiro and the others that he had to write a fucking essay as a punishment for literally doing nothing, and turned bitterly around but stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Lance standing in front of him fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

“Um, hi... I don't think I got your name after Iverson gave you part of my essay to write too...Thanks for that by the way!!”

Puzzled about the sudden change of attitude, Keith just stared blankly at Lance without saying anything.

“Oh, come on dude! Just give me something? Sure I could call you Kogane but I'm 99,9% sure that's your surname. … Am I even pronouncing that correctly? Ko-gay-ne... Kou-gay-nee, Ku-ga-ne, Ko-ga-nay..-

It was amusing to watch how Lance was talking with himself while making weird faces and he felt laughter bubbling out of him before he could stop it. He blushed stopping as soon as he noticed what had happened and glanced up at Lance again who was looking at him with big confused looking eyes and slightly red tinted cheeks although that was most likely from the hard training Iverson forced upon them just about ten minutes earlier.

“A-anyways, it would be nice to call you something else than mullet, right?”

“Wait what?”

A mischievous smile crept on Lances face. “You know like your hair? That horrendous hairstyle is called a mullet.”

Self conscious Keith grabbed a few strands of his hair and tugged on them slightly trying to look at how long they had become. He frowned, he knew what a mullet looked like, an there was no way that his hair looked like that!

“I think you need glasses if you think that my hair looks like a mullet.” Slightly offended he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Thanks but no thanks! I let you know that my eyes are perfectly fine and if one of us would need them it would be you! Also what kind of family do you have that they let you walk around like that?”

Keith tensed and gritted his teeth. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't seen my mum in quite some time and have no idea where she is or if she's even still alive and my dad died when I was seven! So it's not like they could give me any advice on that.”

A mixture of satisfaction and irritation swirled in his stomach when he saw how Lances face first morphed into shock and then into some kind of sadness-pity.

Keith rolled his eyes annoyed, he hated the pitying part that somehow always came up when he was talking about his parents.

“Stop it. It's been long enough I'm over it!”

Lance frowned slightly. “Sorry, it's just... I don't know if I could have handled growing up without my family around me. I think you have to be quite strong for that and to still have such a fierce personality hotshot!” He booped his nose.

Keith brain stopped working.

“..it.....sh..t.....shit, ..ullet? Hey Mullet?! SNAP OUT OF IT DUDE!!!!

His eyes went back into focus and when he saw a face almost nose to nose with him he reacted on reflex and punched the person in front of him directly beneath their ribs.

Lance let out a long breathless whine and dropped on his knees holding his stomach. Slowly Keith processed what just happened and his head became as red as a tomato.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?!” He screeched while gesticulating wildly with his hands.

“I COULD SAY THE SAME YOU FUCKING PUNCHED ME!!!!”

“YOU BOOPED MY NOSE!!!?!”

“I KNOW!! SORRY!!! I ALWAYS DO IT WITH MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS WHEN THEY HAVE THAT SERIOUS LOOK ON THEIR FACE IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY!!!!”

“THAT IS ONE OF THE WORST EXCUSES I EVER HEARD!!!!”

“OH YEAH??? THAN WHATS YOUR EXCUSE FOR PUNCHING ME?!?!”

“I- YOU-..IT- ….it was on reflex...”

Abashed Keith tugged his shoulders up to his ears and crossed his arms in front of him once again. He stood still for a moment with a concentrated frown on his face until he decided he didn't want to embarrass himself any longer snatched his backpack and stormed out of the changing room.

“HEY!!”

 

**

 

Keith was sitting alone on a table at the cafeteria stirring listless in his food.

Yawning he stretched his limbs and smacked his lips, he had been up until around 4am fighting against a very stubborn monster without the backup of Shiro who was busy almost at the other side of the city and had gotten no sleep at all that night. Luckily he got away with nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises and some brilliant genius had invented coffee so he could still go to his classes.

Yawning again he rubbed his eyes and groaned exhausted.

“OMG!!”

“Lance did you really just say that out loud?”

“YES!! BUT LOOK PIDGE IT'S MULLET!!”

Keith sat as still as he could desperately hoping that Lance would think it wasn't him after all and just continue doing whatever he was about to do. But of course he didn't have that kinda luck.

A tray with food on it was forcefully slammed on the table he was sitting on and a finger started rapidly poking in his shoulder.

“Hey.”

Just stay clam.

“Hey!”

Pretend you don't notice him.

“HEY!!”

He isn't there.

“HEEEYY!!!!”

“Lance I don't think he-”

“Hunk sorry but this is important! HEEEEEEEAAAYYYY!!!!!”

“WHAT!!?!?!?!?”

Aaand Keith had snapped. He noticed his napkin started to glim and promptly put it in his drink to prevent any fires breaking out.

“What do you want?” Propping his chin on his hand he looked tired at the three people sitting in front of him: Lance looking at him expectantly, familiar glasses rolling their eyes but having a small smirk on their lips and bandanna guy who just looked kinda taken aback and almost scared.

“Oh nothing just that I still don't have your name.”

"But I told you yes_"

"Shhhhhhhh!! Pidge, no you didn't."

He had pressed a finger against Pidges mouth, who was narrowing their eyes at that, while taking one of Keiths fries with his other hand and popped them into his mouth chewing audibly and grimaced at the taste.

“God this is awful!”

“I know. And it's Keith. Now can you leave me alone?”

He knew he was bitchy, but he also knew that he always was like this if he didn't get enough sleep.

“Wow, calm down I just want to introduce us then we'll be already almost out of your hair again!”

Again with his hair... Keith frowned. “What do you mean alm-”

“I'm Lance, striking aweso-”

“I know.”

Lance narrowed his eyes. “A Smart one aren't we? Well moving on that's Pidge they/them pronouns prodigy with computers and almost everything electrical-”

“Everything.”

“And also very humble as you can see! And the big guy is Hunk a lovely cinnamon roll who never sinned in his whole live and who has no enemies because everyone loves him. Oh and he's also one of the best cooks I know. He can literally do anything!”

“ 'mkay” Keith felt himself slowly drifting away to tired to keep listening to Lance talking.

“OKAY” Lance slammed his hands on the table at which Keith to snapped his head up again looking around disoriented.

“So I actually wanted to ask if you'd like to meet up tomorrow after school in the library to do the essay together?”

“Wha-”

“I know we don't really know each other or get along and you haven't been the nicest person to be around until now too but I'm willing to make sacrifices! And also I might not be very good at grammar and my friends refuse to help me so I need some help with that...”

“You can't ju-”

“Perfect!” Lances smile was so wide it was almost blinding. “C'mon give me your phone so we can exchange numbers!”

“But I-”

“Got it.”

Keith didn't know what was going on anymore. Somehow Pidge? seemed to have gotten his phone, unlocked it and was now typing phone numbers in his and Lances phone simultaneously at an incredible speed.

“Done. Here catch!”

They threw his phone and he scrambled up trying to catch before it would fall into his food or on the floor and luckily managed to do so even with his numbed reflexes.

“Talk to you later!” And with that they were gone again.

“What the fuck is happening...” He quietly mumbled to himself wondering if his live wasn't already strange enough.

 

>>

 

**Hail to the almighty pidgeon:**

 

 **Pidgeblacksoul added** Red

**Pidgeblacksoul: everyone please welcome... KEITH!!!**

_Cinnamonangel: hi Keith ^^_

Lanceylanceonstandbi: eeh, what kinda name is red that's so boring

Lanceylanceonstandbi: pidgeon change pls

Red: hey

 **Pidgeblacksoul changed** Red **to** Knifeyboi

**Pidgeblacksoul: better?**

Lanceylanceonstandbi: i don't get it

Lanceylanceonstandbi: but at least it's not as boring as 'red'

Knifeyboi: how can i get out of this?

Lanceylanceonstandbi: u can't

Lanceylanceonstandbi: literally

Lanceylanceonstandbi: once pidge has ur number there's no escape

**Pidgeblacksoul: >:)**

Knifeyboi: god have mercy

Lanceylanceonstandbi: nope sorry no can do

Knifeyboi: urgh

 

>>

 

“Keith what are you doing on your phone you look like you're about to throw it out of the window?”

He rolled his eyes grumbling at the concern in Shiros voice.

“Nothing, I'm just texting some guys I met today!”

“YOUR DOING WHAT?!? OH MY GOD MATT!!!! KEITH HAS FOUND FRIENDS OTHER THAN US!!!”

“HE HAS WHAT?????”

“CONGRATULATIONS!!”

“THEY'RE GROWING UP SO FAST!!”

“Holy fuck why is everyone I know crazy...”

 

>>

 

**Hail to the almighty pidgeon:**

 

Knifeyboi: nice now my brother is crying

_Cinnamonangel: what why???_

Lanceylanceonstandbi: u have a brother?

**Pidgeblacksoul: …**

Knifeyboi: sorry need to go i think they're about to burn the kitchen down

Lanceylanceonstandbi: k see u tmrw

Lanceylanceonstandbi: ...

Lanceylanceonstandbi: WAIT WHAT????

 

>>

 

**

 

Keith jumped over the railing of a roof and rolled on the next one only a few meter further down. Trowing a look at the monster following him he jumped up and clicked his tongue, it shot random laser beams without any clear pattern and one had just missed him very closely.

His legs were slightly burning from exhaustion but he could also feel heat pulsing through his body like fire which was flowing through his veins and knew he if he wanted to he could transform any minute now, he just needed something to... bingo!

Starting running again and speeding up even more he threw himself over the edge of a roof and was suddenly in free fall. The monster above him let out a shrill shriek and followed him without any hesitation.

Keith counted down in his head while concentrating on the heat flowing through him.

3...

2...

1...

…

NOW!!!

And he let go. He felt how the redgolden marks appeared and spread all over his body, how his ears and teeth got longer and pointier how his hair began to grow longer and form into some kind of flames at the tips and how two wings made out of flames grew out of his back launching him back into the sky.

The small scarf tied around his mouth and nose hid his expression for the most part but underneath it he was grinning widely. He knew that the monster had no chance anymore.

“OI BIRDY NEED AL LITTLE HELP?!?”

Shocked he turned around, a person with a blue hoody and long blue scarf, which almost covered his whole face, was running towards him. Keith was about to loose it, anyone who thought that they could help him with fighting in the past had always been in the wrong and had ended up getting their pride or in the worst case themselves hurt.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING???

“HELPING YOU OUT HOTSTUFF!!”

“I DON'T NEED YOUR FUCKING HELP GET LOST!!!”

“NO WAY!!”

The guy pulled a water bottle out of nowhere, unscrewed the lid and as soon as he had done that used the water to form some kind of belt and lift him in the air. But not controlled or anything, no he way swaying back and forth dropped a few meters with a scream only to be flung up again twice as fast.

“WAH!! OHOKAY... SLOWLY!!! NO- UAH!!!”

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOUR DOING????”

“I-WHOAH!! NOT REALLY?!? I MEAAAAN-SHIT-THATS THE FIRST TIIIIIAIAIAME I'M DOOOOOOING THIS?!! FUUUUCK!!!!!”

Why was every Water-Elementa he met annoying, pushy and so incredibly stupid? The one still screaming at the top of his lungs was now at the same height as Keith but then suddenly swayed to the side and crashed directly into him.

“WATCH OUT!!!”

Before Keith could even get a little bit of his orientation back, he suddenly had his arms full with the whole body weight of the Water-Elementa who seemed to have removed his water belt and used it as some kind of shield against... A LASER BEAM THAT WAS FIRED DIRECTLY AT THEM!!!

Keith prepared himself for the impact and grasped the Water-Elementa tightly and then...

 

**BOOOOOM**

 

The impact was brutal an they were hurled multiple meter backwards until they slammed forcefully onto the ground in a park between a few trees.

Keith let out a few wheezing breaths and threw a murderous glare at the Water-Elementa lying on top of him who was still kinda dazed.

“WHAT THE HELL?!?”

The Water-Elementa shook his head and gritted his teeth in pain.

“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!? GET OFF OF ME!!”

“Shit...”

“YEAH SHIT!!! I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEFEAT THAT THING EASILY UNTIL YOU CAME AND TRIED TO DO WHATEVER YOU JUST MISERABLY FAILED AT”

Keith was furious and just shoved the Water-Elementa off of him ignoring the stinging pain in multiple of his body parts.

“Hey, at least I saved you from that laser blast!”

He narrowed his eyes at him.

“Yeah thanks, I wouldn't even have been in that situation if a certain someone didn't wanna be such a showoff!”

“I only tried to help...”

Patience yields focus.

Keith let out a deep breath.

“Who are you and what did you really try to do.”

The blue Water-Elementa seemed to flinch at the questions and Keith suddenly heard a quiet unclear muffling with interfering static noise.

“ _Don-----ur----name!_ ”

“What?”

“Um, I uh... I'm Blue!”

“... Are you talking with someone over a headset?” 'Blue' sighed in defeat but then nodded. “Give it!”

It seemed as if Keith had quite intimidated Blue who only hesitated for a second before he gave him the small in ear communication piece.

“ _STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!!!!!_ ”

He cringed at the shouting voice which was coming out of it and the on every stupid following thudding noise as if someone was banging something against a tree.

“ _Giv---- to me.... Hi? L-Blue? You there?_ ”

“Hi. No here's-”

Keith paused he obviously couldn't give them his real name...

“Here's Red. Who are you and what do you want?”

“ _BUHAHAHA!!!! HE'S CALLING HIMSELF RED!!!- Shhhhh Pi- I mean Green!! -OH YOU DID NOT JUST CALL ME- JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND YEAH??!_ ”

Holding the communicator an arms length away from his ear he looked bewildered at Blue.

“Are those your friends??”

“Um... yeah?”

“ _Look._ ” A voice was coming out of the communicator again. “ _Blue saw you yesterday when we were walking around town when you were fighting against some other monster and decided he wanted to try something so cool looking out too! That's how we all ended up here in the first place! Can you please just send him back to us, with the communicator or Green might kill me, and let it go? It wont happen again I promise._ ”

Keith thought about it for a moment and looked at Blue with narrowed eyes who seemed to shrink from embarrassment under his gaze.

“Ok, I'll take your word that this is the last time he gets in my way.”

“ _Oh thank god!- Blue move you're sorry ass over here so that I can beat the shit out of y- OOOKAY!! BYE RED!!_ ”

“Bye?”

He looked frowning at the communication piece in his hand which now only let out a soft humming noise and then also stopped that completely. Glancing at where Blue had sat just moments before Keith noticed puzzled that he wasn't there anymore and had just left the communicator with him.

Shaking his head confused he put the small device in one of his pockets and started concentrating again and only seconds later took off to find that monster for the second time. (And to beat it hopefully in the next thirty minutes so that he would maybe get at least one or two hours of sleep that night.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :D  
> Pls leave a comment and kudos (if you liked it) ^^


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